“With this announcement today, we aim to not just patch and mend our fragmented food safety system, we hope to reinforce the infrastructure, close the gaps and create a systematic, risk-based and balanced approach to food safety in the U.S.,” the lawmakers said in a joint statement, promising quick consideration of the bill by the full Senate.

“The FDA Food Safety Modernization Act will place more emphasis on prevention of foodborne illness and will provide new tools to respond to food safety problems,” the lawmakers said.

Two major issues that remain unresolved include the amendment by Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., to exempt smaller operations from some requirements under the legislation and the push by Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., to restrict the use of the chemical Bisphenol A.

On those issues negotiators continue to discuss the issue with Sens. Feinstein and Tester to find agreement as the legislation heads to the Senate floor, the Capitol Hill source said.

Laura Phelps, president of the American Mushroom Institute, Washington, D.C., said industry advocates were invited to a Capitol Hill briefing about the legislation that was scheduled for late the afternoon of Aug. 12. A spokesman for United Fresh Produce Association, Washington, D.C., could not immediately be reached for comment.

The produce industry has been anxious for the Senate to act on food safety reform legislation, said Tom O’Brien, the Washington, D.C., representative for the Newark, Del.-based Produce Marketing Association.

“This is a positive sign that consideration by the full Senate is imminent,” he said.

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About the Author:

Tom Karst

Tom Karst is national editor for The Packer and Farm Journal Media, covering issues of importance to the produce industry including immigration, farm policy and food safety.
He began his career with The Packer in 1984 as one of the founding editors of ProNet, a pioneering electronic news service for the produce industry. Tom has also served as markets editor for The Packer and editor of Global Produce magazine, among other positions.
Tom is also the main author of Fresh Talk, www.tinyurl.com/freshtalkblog, an industry blog that has been active since November 2006.
Previous to coming to The Packer, Tom worked from 1982 to 1984 at Harris Electronic News, a farm videotext service based in Hutchinson, Kansas.
Tom has a bachelor’s degree in agricultural journalism from Kansas State University, Manhattan.
He can be reached at tkarst@farmjournal.com and 913-438-0769. Find Tom's Twitter account at www.twitter.com/tckarst.